The Coffee Hour

Guest Author - Gayle E. Santana

Imagine waking every day to the fresh aroma of coffee. You ease out of bed and ramble in the dark to a fresh pot of coffee with a waiting cup and all the coffee Ďfixinsí you love. Itís hot, good and fresh and you donít even have to get dressed for the occasion. You find a seat, kick off your slippers and enjoy. This is my real life.

Every morning I begin my day with coffee and what I deem the coffee hour. It begins with my programmable coffee maker, good ground coffee, a dash of cinnamon, evaporated milk, my favorite cup and a comfortable seat on my couch. It can be as early as 4 am but never too late that I could be interrupted by a waking family member or a ringing phone.

The coffee hour is about more than drinking coffee for me. It is time I spend alone with my thoughts, uninterrupted, waking to my day. I commune with the universe. The coffee is an integral part of this process for me, but it also includes checking my email, getting clarity and focus for my day, meditating and having motivation enough to then move on to exercise. I used to try rolling out of bed and rushing off to my day, but that just didnít work for me. I would lose momentum very quickly and end up on the couch feeling tired, sick and discouraged. Thatís when I decided the coffee hour was a much needed ritual.

When I travel, a major part of my planning process is how I am going to get this coffee hour. My early beginnings consisted of bringing a heating element (a metal device with a handle that you plug in, stick it in your cup and it boils water), a jar of instant coffee, a can of evaporated milk, a cup, spoon, and do not forget the can opener! It was in these moments that my family considered an intervention.

Several years ago I went on a cruise. I discovered that I could have room service every morning as part of my cruise package. This delivery included piping hot coffee, any kind of creamer, pastries and fruit. To top it off, the coffee was delivered in a beautiful silver pot. I was ready and waiting at 6 am every morning while my husband slept unaware.

My coffee hour took place on the balcony of my state room looking out at either endless miles of sea or the port of our current island stop. Imagine having your morning coffee in San Juan this morning, and St. Thomas the next. This couldnít get any better if I were living lifestyles of the rich and famous.

There is only one problem with my coffee hour. There are times when I am so full of inspiration and motivation that I canít wait to get started and often start working on ideas that in the light of day donít really pass the litmus test. I call these caffeine moments. So whenever I come up with an idea that I think is great, my rule of thumb (even if I continue to work on it) is to not make any life-changing decisions or put it out to the public unless Iíve had a chance to sit with it for at least 24 hours.

I guarantee if you try The Coffee Hour in your life you will be like the Armyóyou will get more done before 9 AM. than most people do all day.